BURLINGTON -- Two occupants aboard the small plane forced to make an emergency landing in a swamp off a highway on Wednesday were fortunate to survive, the town's police chief said.

In a brief afternoon press conference, officials confirmed a female pilot and a male passenger were conscious and not seriously hurt when emergency crews reached them Wednesday.

The pair were taken to Lahey Clinic for immediate evaluation. One was discharged that afternoon and the other one was reportedly stable and expected to be released by the end of the day.

Emergency calls came in at 1:39 p.m. from bystanders reporting a plane crash off the Middlesex Turnpike, with its rescue parachute deployed.

Burlington Police Chief Michael Kent stands with Burlington Fire Chief Steve Yetman in an afternoon press conference, after two people were rescued from a plane crash off the Middlesex Turnpike.
sun photos by
samantha allen

The plane stopped behind the Vine Brook Water Treatment Facility, near the Burlington Mall, in well fields.

"They were very lucky," said Police Chief Michael Kent. "We were extremely lucky (the crash) wasn't in a populated area."

Another crash occurred off the runway at Hanscom Field airport on May 31 when a larger private jet crashed and killed all seven people aboard as it was attempting to take off. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board continue to review that incident as well.

Officials say a preliminary report on what sparked that crash is due out later this week.

In a preliminary report on Wednesday's crash, the FAA said the engine failed and the pilot had to make an emergency landing on its way to Hanscom Field Airport.

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According to FlightAware.com, which tracks airline flights, the Cirrus SR22 aircraft is registered to Bee Flyers, LLC, of Northboro. The principal agent is listed as Willam Breidenbach and the plane is a 2008 fixed-wing plane which seats four. Bee Flyers, LLC, registered the vehicle in March.

The aircraft has one engine, according to aviation expert Greg Raiff, who operates a private jet company in Seabrook, N.H. Raiff said he doesn't use those types of planes in his fleet; they are too risky in the event something goes wrong, he said. He added praise was warranted for the female pilot who miraculously landed the plane safely.

Burlington officials had to go through a wooded, swampy area Wednesday afternoon to reach the victims. Firefighters and emergency responders went into the woods with chain saws to clear a path with help from the town's Department of Public Works. The chief added due to quick actions from the nearby wastewater plant, contamination to the town's water supply was avoided.

Employees of the Vine Brook Water Treatment Facility said they saw the plane go down, with the connected parachute deploying. The large orange and white fabric was spotted billowing in the wind in the marsh off the highway.

Bystanders gathered around 155 Middlesex Turnpike near Advizex Technologies to catch a glimpse of the scene. The victims were pulled out and taken by ambulance to the hospital.

Burlington police and firefighters responded along with officials from Bedford, Billerica and Woburn as well as representatives from the Hanscom Air Force Base Fire Department. Investigators could not say Wednesday how long the investigation would take. They said the parachute and other parts of the plane would remain for at least another day.

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